Extraction tool



June 2, 1.3964 J. D. ANDERSON ETAL 3,135,043

EXTRACTION TOOL.

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INVENTORS JVA/5 0. waff-eso# United States Patent O York y Filed Mar.21, 1960, Ser. No. 16,362

4 Claims. (Cl.-29270) This invention relates to extraction tools forconnectors, and more particularly, to a tool to remove individualcontact elements from a mounting panel or connector.

It is common to assemble a electrical connector or a panel board with aplurality of individual contact elements, which elements may beindividually inserted into the connector and be individually removedtherefrom. These contact elements are generally made with some springsubelement which will interlock with the connector housing and retainthe contact element in place. Removal of the Contact elementnecessitates a prior depression or disengagement of the interlockingspring subelements from the connector housing.

Since most of these contact elements are cylindrical in shape and havetheir interlocking spring subelements peripherially located, extractiontools therefor have been generally of a tubular nature, adapted to fitover the contact and cam down the springs. Included within the tube is aplunger adapted to push the contact out of its mounting hole. Thecontacts must have some angular freedom of movement within theirmounting holes, and when the tubular sleeve is inserted into themounting hole it may not align itself with the contact, and as eitherthe sleeve or plunger is pressed forward, the Contact may be damaged.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an extractiontool adapted to extract contact elements from their mounting holes, andwhich will automatically align itself with the contact prior to thedisengagement of the springs, preventing damage to the contact duringits extraction.

A feature of this invention is an extraction tool including aspring-loaded sleeve and an included, coaxially disposed, spring-loadedplunger, so adapted and arranged that upon insertion of the tool intothe connector assembly the plunger rst engages the contact and alignsthe tool with the contact; secondly, the sleeve surrounds the contactand depresses its interlocking springs; and thirdly, the plunger pushesthe Contact out of its mounting hole.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become moreapparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a View in elevation and partially in crosssection of a toolembodying this invention, and an exemplary contact; and

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the three stages of the extractionoperation.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference character 1 indicates a plunger having ahead 1a which is biased by a relatively weak, e.g. 1 ounce, compressionspring 2. Coaxial with the plunger 1 is a sleeve 3 having a tubular head3a which is biased by a relatively strong, e.g. 8 pounds, compressionspring 4. A handle 5 having a threaded stub 5a, a reduced stub Sb, and astill further reduced stub 5c; and a housing 6 are provided to completethe assembly. Spring 4 is coaxially disposed on stub 5b and compressedbetween tubular head 3a of sleeve 3, and shoulder 5a of thread stub 5a.Spring 2 is coaxially disposed on stub 5c and compressed between head 1aof punger 1 and shoulder 5b of stub 5b. Housing 6 surrounds the heads 1aand 3a, springs 2 and 4, and is threaded onto threaded stub 5a.

Patented June 2, 1964 ICC . 2 -The operation of the i001 is illustratedin F1os. 2, As', and 4. Referring to FIG. 2 first, a panel 20 having ahole 2l with shoulders 22 and 23 is illustrated. Disposed within theholeis a female-cup-socket type contact 30 having a ridge 31 which abutsshoulder 23 and a plurality of spring elements or locking ears 32 whichabut shoulder 22 to lock the contact 30 in the hole 21. A cup 33 may beprovided to limit the opening of the contact. When the tool is rstinserted, the cone shaped tip of plunger 1 enters the cup 33 of thecontact 30 and aligns the cup with the tool. The plunger is but lightlybiased by its spring 2, and upon meeting resistance from the cup 33,retracts within the sleeve 3, compressing spring 2. As the operatorcontinues to force the tool forward, sleeve 3, which is now aligned withcontact 30, slips over the contact and cams down the locking ears 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, sleeve 3 has now depressed locking ears 32 and abutsshoulder 22 of the mounting hole 21. As the operator continues to movethe handle forward, spring 4 is partially compressed due to theresistance oiered by shoulder 22, and handle stub 5c eventually abutsplunger head la. Considering now FIG. 4, as the handle is moved furtherforward, handle stub 5c forces plunger head 1a and plunger i forward,putting pressure on cup 33 and expelling contact 30 from the mountinghole 2i. The tool is then extracted from the hole.

It will be noted that weak spring 2 adapts plunger 1 to align contact 30with the tool, but does not put heavy pressure on the contact 30 and itslocking ears 32, binding the ears against the cavity shoulder 22. Heavyspring 4 adapts sleeve 3 to apply sufficient pressure on locking ears 32to depress the ears, and yet permit the sleeve 3 to retract relativelyinto the tool so that handle stub 5c may abut plunger 1 and push thecontact out of its mounting hole.

The invention has thus been described but it is desired to be understoodthat it is not confined to the particular forms or usages shown anddescribed. The same being merely illustrative, and that the inventionmay be carried out in other Ways without departing from the spirit ofthe invention, and therefore, the right is broadly claimed to employ allequivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appendantclaims, and by means of which objects of this invention are attained andnew results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particularembodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many thatcan be employed to obtain these objects and accomplish these results.

We claim:

1. A tool, for removing an electrical Contact having circumferentiallydisposed interlocking spring elements, from a housing interlockedtherewith, comprising: a substantially tubular operating handle havingan open end; a tubular sleeve, telescopically disposed within saidhandle, having an exposed end portion projecting beyond said handle openend for engaging and for applying an axial force to the interlockingelements of a contact within a housing to unlock said elements from saidhousing; strong spring means, coaxially disposed within said handle forresiliently transmitting force from said handle to said sleeve, and forbiasing said sleeve outwardly through said handle open end; asubstantially cylindrical plunger telescopically disposed within saidsleeve for engaging and applying axial force to a contact; weak springmeans, coaxially disposed within said handle, coupled between saidhandle and said plunger for resiliently transmitting axial force to saidplunger to eject a contact from within said housing after saidinterlocking spring elements have been unlocked from said housing.

2. A tool according to claim 1 wherein the force-applying end of saidplunger extends beyond the exposed end of said sleeve, when said springsare in their undeflected positions, to permit initial engagement of saidplunger and said contact outside said sleeve.

3. A tool for removing an electrical contact, in accordance with claim1, further including means for transmitting force directly from saidhandle to said plunger, to directly eject a contact, after said plungerhas been displaced inwardly an axial distance su'icient to permit saidtubular sleeve to engage and unlock the interlocking elements of saidcontact.

4. A tool for removing an electrical contact, in accordance with claim3, whereinsaid means for transmitting force directly from said handle tosaid plunger comprises an internal axial projection on said handlepositioned to engage the end of said plunger Within said handle.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,472,833 HeroldV Nov. 6, 1923 1,552,087 Smith Sept. 1, 1925 1,851,126Mikkelsen Mar. 29, 1932 2,736,088 Thygeson Feb 28, 1956 2,742,689 RochaApr. 24, 1956 2,853,774 Peterson Sept. 30, 1958

1. A TOOL, FOR REMOVING AN ELECTRICAL CONTACT HAVING CIRCUMFERENTIALLYDISPOSED INTERLOCKING SPRING ELEMENTS, FROM A HOUSING INTERLOCKEDTHEREWITH, COMPRISING: A SUBSTANTIALLY TUBULAR OPERATING HANDLE HAVINGAN OPEN END; A TUBULAR SLEEVE, TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAIDHANDLE, HAVING AN EXPOSED END PORTION PROJECTING BEYOND SAID HANDLE OPENEND FOR ENGAGING AND FOR APPLYING AN AXIAL FORCE TO THE INTERLOCKINGELEMENTS OF A CONTACT WITHIN A HOUSING TO UNLOCK SAID ELEMENTS FROM SAIDHOUSING; STRONG SPRING MEANS, COAXIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HANDLE FORRESILIENTLY TRANSMITTING FORCE FROM SAID HANDLE TO SAID SLEEVE, AND FORBIASING SAID SLEEVE OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID HANDLE OPEN END; ASUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL PLUNGER TELESCOPICALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAIDSLEEVE FOR ENGAGING AND APPLYING AXIAL FORCE TO A CONTACT; WEAK SPRINGMEANS, COAXIALLY DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HANDLE, COUPLED BETWEEN SAIDHANDLE AND SAID PLUNGER FOR RESILIENTLY TRANSMITTING AXIAL FORCE TO SAIDPLUNGER TO EJECT A CONTACT FROM WITHIN SAID HOUSING AFTER SAIDINTERLOCKING SPRING ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN UNLOCKED FROM SAID HOUSING.